“Do you think you can swim with the bow and arrow?”

Ynec nodded. We both stared at the lake after a restful night. We had thanked the older couple that let us stay the night and they insisted we were allowed to come back at any time. We were not likely to see them after this so we gave them a long hug and were on our way to the lake.

I took off my tunic, but kept the shield holstered to my back.

“You swim with weapons?” Ynec asked.

“Well,” I thought, “I figure we might bump into them. It’ll be really exhausting. I think I’m just going to bring a shield.” I said as I prepared to drop my sword. My feet were already in the water as I started the acclimation process early. A fist of water came out and punched me in the face. I was taken aback, I almost thought it was an odd wave but knew that was wrong. I gripped my face, still dazed from the punch. Another fist of water knocked me in the same spot.

“Ahh!” I yelled, “Ynec! The water just punched me in the face!”

“It didn’t do that last time?” Ynec asked.

“What? No, it didn’t fucking punch me in the face yesterday.”

Just then, the watery hand emerged from the lake and wrapped itself around me. Lifting me up into the air.

“Ahhh! It didn’t let me acclimate! It’s freezing, Ynec. Freezing!” The tightly wound hand cocked me back and slammed me against the beach, “Gods dammit, Ynec do some- oh Jesus.”

The watery appendage yanked my foot and picked me up. Luckily I had my sword. I stabbed at the water. The blade went through it like… Like water.

Ynec slid his bow around and took it off his back, then he notched an arrow and shot it right at the arm. The arrow sunk into it but stayed inside, floating in the fist. The hand slammed me against the beach. I could feel my brain jumble as my head was knocked against the sand. It must have jostled something inside of me, because the name of a spell tingled on my lips. While I was lifted in the air, I plunged my hand into the hand and pulled the arrow out. I chucked the arrow and spoke the command, “Fetch!”

As the arrow left my possesion, I could feel a change in the water fist’s demeanor. At first it was composed, but then it began to wobble. Then it let me go. I dropped was dropped onto the sand with a thud. Out of the water came Hosu. Her sickly green body emerged from the lake and chased after the arrow. She chased after my arrow with a vacant look in her eye.

This was my opening. I ran after her. She had not yet picked up the arrow when I slashed at her. My blade bounced off her skin, the little damage I caused being repaired instantly. She did, however, stop chasing the arrow. Her odd mouth let out a wicked howl that caused Ynec and I to drop to our knees. We released our weapons and covered our ears. This was undoubtedly shrieking part that Anubis had mentioned.

Hosu made her way to us while we were still dazed. She slashed Ynec with her claws. Ynec fell to the ground, blood pouring pouring from his face. Hosu looked at me next but let out a shrill cry. She looked down, Ynec had plugged her with his bone knife. She clawed him again.

Hosu leapt back in the water as I got my sword. Before I could cast another spell, her two large hands rushed us like a huge wave, before pulling us into the lake.

“You hoodwinked my neighbor into helping you.”

I spit out water that hid in my lungs. It misted into the air and dripped back onto me. I heard labored breathing and craned my neck to see who it was. Ynec was laying in front of me. His eyes wide open as he caught his breath. The empty lockbox made a loud clank as Dale tossed it beside me.

Dale walked over to me. From my position, I could only see his hooves upside down. I cranked my neck up to see Dale and Hosu standing over me. I attempted to stand up. Hosu hissed at me and Dale placed his hoof on my stomach.

Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.

“Where is it?”

“I don’t know what you mean, sir” I said, “My brother and I were just going fishing.”

“With a sword and shield?” Dale mused, “Hosu saw you swim away from my den yesterday. And when we got back, something was missing. Any clue what could have happened?”

I shook my head, “I swear I don’t know, sir.”

Dale kept his foot on me. Hosu did the same to Ynec’s back. We were both pinned dand unable to move.

“Where is the book?” Dale pressed his hoof on my stomach. I groaned, “Tell me or you’re going to get it.”

“Uhhh,” The immense pressure made it difficult to breath. I tried to wriggle or move but was unable to. I was trapped and so was Ynec. I saw Ynec’s knife still sticking out of Hosu’s leg. Our weapons did such little damage as they were. She was a spirit after all. Maybe normal weapons didn’t do them much damage?

“I swear i don’t knnnnn-” Dale put more weight down on me. I let out what little air I had in my lungs as the pain surged through my torso. He moved his hoof up to my chest and pressed there.

“The book. The book of the dead. The book that only you could read,” Dale flicked my pointed ear hard enough to hurt. My frail childish ribs were in deep danger of cracking.

“Please,” I huffed, “Please, I don‘t know.”

“Holy shit,” Dale said, “You’d rather have broken ribs than give it up. Fine, how about this,” He pointed to Hosu. She took her hand and placed it on Ynec’s head. Her hand became the same fist that had grabbed me before. She encases Ynec’s head, causing him to begin drowing. A look of panic welled in his eyes as he flails his arms, scraping at the water to free himself.

“Well?” Dale asked, “Still don’t know about the book?”

I tried to resist but Ynec was running out of air. I had to do something. But letting him have the book would be a last resort. I said in sylvan, “My elbows are considered weapons,” and then said, “True Strike, Level two!” I slammed my elbows against the ground, knocking Dale back a little. I landed on my feet, rolled until I got my sword and stabbed Dale. It did absolutely nothing.

“I’m a god, dumbass. That’s not going to work and your friend’s dying.” I stared over at Hosu, still suffocating my friend with her fist. I ran over to her. I did the same to her. Stabbing her with the sword and having it do nothing. She hissed at me.

“Come on!” Dale said, “You can’t be dumb enough to let your friend die over some book!”

A scarier thing happened than Ynec flailing for his life. He slowed down. His arms stopped fighting and I could tell he was running out of air.

“I’ll tell you where the book is!” I yelled.

“Finally! Let him go, Hosu.”

Hosu immediately let Ynec go. He spit and coughed and took in several big gasps as he gripped his throat. I went to him and patted his back to help.

Dale shook his head, “How the hell are you this poorly trained as a Sun Thrower? They’ve really fallen off haven’t they?”

My eyes lit up. Ynec and I silently exchanged glances. We formulated a plan in our head. Dale either talked to Kuro or came to the same conclusion. As far as he was concerned, I was with Ra and the Sun Thrower and was acting on their behest. I was still in the clear.

“Shoddy, shoddy work,” Dale tutted, “The part I can’t figure out is why you came back. You came back, and for what? You’re fucked now, kid!” Dale said, “I have to keep you both here as hostages until the next time I speak to your master. You two will be here before for a few days at least! Then we negotiate your freedom.”

Fuck. That Sun Thrower would not, in fact, be negotiating for us. As soon as they found out Dale didn’t have it…. The gameboard would change. If he put it together that his ‘assistant’ stole the book, and Dale had his assistants… he wouldn’t need Dale anymore. As far as he’d be concerned, the book wasn’t with us. He’d probably search the whole village to find it. He might even pay a visit to the older couple who let us stay with them. I needed to negotiate our way out and fast. And then… there was the actual reason I was still here.

“Yeah?” I started, “Why don’t you go kiss your girlfriend about it.”

“What?”

“I said, why don’t you go give your girlfriend over there a smooth about it? You two are together right? Seems pretty obvious.”

“What are you talking about?” Dale asked.

“It just seems obvious!” I said, “You two are in a committed relationship. Right? Or at the very least hooking up. You two are hooking up, right?”

Dale scratched his head and looked back at Hosu, who shrugged her shoulders. He turned his attention back to me and said, “Yeah, we’re hooking up.”

“So YOU ADMIT IT!” I yelled, pointing at him.

“What the fuck is going on?” Dale asked, “Why do you care who I’m hooking up with?”

I huffed and feigned aloofness, “No reason.” I said, “It’s a sin to hook up outside the covenant of marriage. I was just looking out for you. That’s Ra’s rules. That’s his Ra-les.”

Dale cocked his head at me. Fuck. Was he about to figure it out? Did he know? Surely, the things that didn’t make sense would start to click in his head. Surely, he’d start to put together why we were back, and why I had asked him that. Surely… but then again, Dale was really dumb.

“Ra finds the dumbest stuff to care about,” He walked over to Hosu and held her hand. They both exchanged loving looks and then Dale said, “Besides, he has nothing to worry about. You might be looking at the future Mrs. Dale.”